I did a solo hike to Deep Creek, and ended my day at DCHS. There weren't many people at the springs. I was standing by the Crab Cooker talking to a guy named Stephan, who is living in the Big Bear area and is working as a tree trimmer, mostly cutting down all the dead trees on private property. Land owners in that area are now being required to get rid of the dead trees on thier property. While Stephan and I were talking there was suddenly the sound, like a small landslide across the creek coming down the cliff. We looked over to see a squirrel half falling and scampering down the face to the bottom. Tumbling down a small ravine was also a snake right behind the squirrel. It appears that snake may have made a strike at the squirrel which sent them both falling down that cliff. I quickly made my way across the lagoon around behind the trees and bushes there were already a few people that had seen the snake falling down the cliff. By the time I got to the bottom of the cliff where the snake should have been, the people there said it had slithered quickly off in the direction of the Lagoon. I briefly looked along the waters edge when suddenly the snake began swimming quickly off across the Lagoon toward its lower in by the Grass Island in the creek. I made my way back quickly in the direction of the Beach and arrived there just as the snake was heading into the bushes at the waters edge. I waded in and was just able to grab its tail just before it disappeared. It was a Gopher snake, about 4 feet long. I pulled it gently back out of the bushes, doing this slowly to assure that it was not one of the more aggressive ones of this variety of snake. It made no signs of aggression, so I pulled it up and drapped it around my neck. The other folks around came over to check it out. I gave it too another guy who held it for a while. He then gave it to another guy too. I took a picture of each man holding the snake. I'll put the photos at the Wizard's picture site when I get that roll developed. I then got the snake back and let it go just downstream from the Crab Cooker. I had a real nice day cruising along the creek, checkin out some of my favorite places. Sat for a while under the Wild Bee Hive at one of the spots. I brought my white bucket which I use to clean the rocks with water, at the places I like to go. I cleaned the rocks in the area of the main pools at DCHS since there weren't any people in the pools. The day was hot, and rather humid and the clouds stayed away which provided for some good sun soakin. The creek temp is great this time of year for cool, refreshing dips. I hiked out and got to the top of the hills just as the sun was beginning to set. Just as I was walking down the last hill to my truck I was looking at the bueatiful hillsides. The late day slanting Golden Rays of the sun really illuminate and highlight certain plants, like the light brown tufts of grass that really shine in that kind of light. I was admiring the look of the hills, thinking that I should take a picture, when suddenly I slipped and fell on a sandy surface. I figured that was a sign that I should go ahead and take a picture of the wonderful scene at sunset. I took a couple of photos with my dogs in the forground. A fitting end to another adventure at OZ :-)
